Twenty-One (also called Blackjack) is a game of chance between a dealer and one or more players. The object is for the player to achieve a count of his hand closer to a numerical count of twenty-one than the count of the hand of the dealer; but if the count of the player's hand goes over a numerical count of twenty-one, then the player loses regardless of the final count of the dealer's hand.
The conventional manner of play of Twenty-One is as follows: A standard deck of playing cards is used and each card counts its face value, except Aces which have a value of one or eleven as is most beneficial to the count of the hand. Each player initially receives two cards. The dealer also receives two cards. One of the dealer's cards is dealt face down and the other of the dealer's cards is dealt face-up. In some gaming establishments, the dealer receives his two cards at the same time that each player is dealt his two cards. In other gaming establishments, the dealer initially only receives one card which becomes the dealer's "up" card. After each player has taken additional cards, the dealer then receives his second card.
A player may draw additional cards (take "hits") in order to try and beat the count of the dealer's hand. If the player's count exceeds a numerical count of twenty-one, the player "busts." The player may "stand" on any count of twenty-one or less. When a player busts, he loses his wager regardless of whether or not the dealer busts.
After all of the players have taken hits or have stood on their hand, the dealer "stands" or "hits" based on pre-established rules for the game. Typically, if the dealer has less than seventeen numerical count, the dealer must take a hit. If the dealer has a numerical count of seventeen or more, the dealer stands.
As the game of Twenty-One is played in most legalized gaming establishments, the conventional manner of play requires the dealer to take a hit whenever the dealer's hand is a "soft 17" count. However in other gaming establishments, the dealer stands on a "soft 17" count. The term "soft" means that the Ace is valued as a count of eleven, instead of as a count of one. A soft 17 occurs when the dealer has an Ace and a Six (or multiple cards that add up to six). The dealer will stand on soft 18's, soft 19's and soft 20's.
After the dealer's final hand has been established, the numerical count of the dealer's hand is compared to the numerical count of the player's hand. If the dealer busts, the player wins regardless of the numerical count of his hand. If neither the player nor the dealer have busted, the closest hand to a numerical count of twenty-one, without going over, wins; tie hands are a "push."
One of the problems with Twenty-One is that the player automatically loses whenever the numerical count of his hand exceeds twenty-one. Even if the dealer also "busts", the player still loses when the player "busts". This is quite aggravating to the player and there is seen to be a need in the gaming industry for a game similar to Twenty-One, but in which the player cannot "bust" and always retains an opportunity to achieve a winning hand.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a card game similar in form to the game of Twenty-One, but in which different play options are provided by modifying the deck of cards used. Wild cards are used that count one or ten at the option of the player, while all of the Aces and Face cards (the Kings, Queens and Jacks) are removed and replaced by additional pip cards.
It is a feature of the present invention to play a game in which the object is to get closest to a numerical hand count of twenty. If the numerical count of the cards exceeds twenty, then the numerical count reverts by subtracting ten therefrom. In this manner, the player never encounters a "bust" hand situation.
It is an advantage of the present invention that the options of the game of the present invention exceed those present in conventional Twenty-One while at the same time providing a game that is easy for any player to understand, particularly for those players who have encountered conventional Twenty-One previously.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description.